A method of making a patch antenna includes the steps of: stamping a first metal plate to form a radiation metal layer having a first protruding portion; stamping a second metal plate to form a grounding metal layer having a second protruding portion; and attaching the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer to opposite surfaces of a dielectric layer to couple together the first and second protruding portions.
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2. A method of making a patch antenna, comprising the steps of:
stamping a first metal plate to form a first plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a first aperture in the first plate body and a first protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the first aperture to thereby form a radiation metal layer;
stamping a second metal plate to form a second plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a second aperture in the second plate body and a second protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the second aperture to thereby form a grounding metal layer;
preparing a dielectric layer having a through hole; and
attaching the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer to opposite surfaces of the dielectric layer to couple together the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion;
wherein when the first plate body is formed, a guide groove is simultaneously formed that extends from an outer periphery of the first plate body toward a center of the first plate body.
1. A method of making a patch antenna, comprising the steps of:
stamping a first metal plate to form a first plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a first aperture in the first plate body and a first protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the first aperture to thereby form a radiation metal layer;
stamping a second metal plate to form a second plate body having a predetermined shape., and simultaneously, a second aperture in the second plate body and a second protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the second aperture to thereby form a grounding metal layer;
preparing a dielectric layer having a through hole; and
attaching the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer to opposite surfaces of the dielectric layer to couple together the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion;
wherein a first sub-feed-in hole is simultaneously formed when the first plate body is formed; a second sub-feed-in hole is simultaneously formed when the second plate body is formed; and a feed-in hole is formed when the dielectric layer is molded; the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer are attached to the dielectric layer that the first sub-feed-in hole and the second sub-feed-in hole are aligned with the feed-in hole before attachment.
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This application is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 12/157,659 filed 12 Jun. 2008, which claims benefit of Serial No. 096150529, filed 27 Dec. 2007 in Taiwan and which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a patch antenna for receiving satellite signals, more particularly to a patch antenna and a method of making the same that involves relatively simple manufacturing processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A commercially available patch antenna for receiving satellite signals (frequency of approximately 2.32˜2.3325 GHz) includes a dielectric layer formed from a fluoropolymer substrate (such as a Teflon® substrate), and a radiation layer and a grounding layer made of copper foil and adhered respectively to opposite surfaces of the fluoropolymer substrate. A through hole is formed in a center of the resulting plate structure, and a wall defining the through hole is covered with a copper layer to thereby establish an electrical connection between the radiation layer and the grounding layer.
Referring to
In the above manufacturing process, chemical etching is required since it is difficult to work with the surfaces of the fluoropolymer substrate. This not only complicates manufacture but also results in the generation of chemical liquid waste. In addition, the material costs associated with the fluoropolymer substrate are high, the fluoropolymer substrate is not easily recycled, and a substantial amount of non-recyclable waste material is generated when punching the fluoropolymer substrate.
Therefore, the manufacture of patch antennas using a fluoropolymer substrate not only results in complicated manufacture and high production costs, but also results in the generation of a significant amount of waste material that adversely affects the environment.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a patch antenna that is low in cost.
According to one aspect, the patch antenna of this invention includes: a dielectric layer made of an insulation material, and having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a through hole; a radiation metal layer disposed on the upper surface of the dielectric layer, and having a first plate body, a first aperture aligned with the through hole, and a first protruding portion extending from the first plate body at a peripheral edge of the first aperture into the through hole; and a grounding metal layer disposed on the lower surface of the dielectric layer, and having a second plate body, a second aperture aligned with the through hole, and a second protruding portion extending from the second plate body at a peripheral edge of the second aperture into the through hole, the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion contacting each other in the through hole to establish an electrical connection between the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of making a patch antenna that involves simple processes, that is low in cost, and that is environmentally friendly.
According to another aspect of this invention, the method of making a patch antenna includes the steps of: stamping a first metal plate to form a first plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a first aperture in the first plate body and a first protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the first aperture to thereby form a radiation metal layer; stamping a second metal plate to form a second plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a second aperture in the second plate body and a second protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the second aperture to thereby form a grounding metal layer; placing the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer in a mold in such a manner that the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are coupled together; and introducing an insulation material into the mold to form a dielectric layer that is interposed between the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer.
According to yet another aspect, the method of making a patch antenna includes the steps of: stamping a metal plate to form a first plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a first aperture in the first plate body and a first protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the first aperture to thereby form a radiation metal layer; stamping a second metal plate to form a second plate body having a predetermined shape, and simultaneously, a second aperture in the second plate body and a second protruding portion that extends from a peripheral edge of the second aperture to thereby form a grounding metal layer; preparing a dielectric layer having a through hole; and attaching the radiation metal layer and the grounding metal layer to opposite surfaces of the dielectric layer and in such a manner that the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are coupled together.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
A method of making a patch antenna according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Preferably, a metal material having a low impedance and that is easily soldered is used for making the radiation metal layer 21 and the grounding metal layer 22. In the first preferred embodiment, the metal material is SPTE (electrolytic tin plate) that is manufactured to a thickness of 0.2 mm and that complies with the Japanese JIS G3303 industrial standard.
As for the insulation material for forming the dielectric layer 23, a plastic material is preferably used that may be easily injection molded, and that has a dielectric constant (Df) less than 2.5, a dielectric strength (Dk) less than 0.001, and a heat deflection temperature (HDT) higher than 110° C. In the first preferred embodiment, Noryl RF1132 resin manufactured by the General Electric Company is used for the insulation material.
To prevent the efficiency of the patch antenna 2 from being adversely affected, the first and second indentations 216, 225 are preferably formed extending from the outer peripheries of the first and second plate bodies 211, 221 and toward centers thereof by a distance that does not exceed 0.5 mm.
Referring to
Referring to
A method of making a patch antenna according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to
Referring to
In step 602, a second metal plate (not shown) is stamped to forma second plate body 521 of a predetermined shape. In the second preferred embodiment, an outer periphery of the second plate body 521 is substantially circular, and a size of the second plate body 521 corresponds to a size of the first plate body 511. Further, a center area of the second plate body 521 is stamped to form a second aperture 522, as well as a second protruding portion 523 that extends at substantially a right angle from a peripheral edge of the second aperture 522. In addition, a second sub-feed-in hole 524 is formed in the second plate body 521, thereby completing the formation of a grounding metal layer 52.
In step 603, a molten insulation material is introduced into a mold (not shown), such that after the insulation material hardens, a dielectric layer 53 of a predetermined shape and that has a through hole 531 in a center area thereof and a feed-in hole 532 is formed.
Referring to
From the aforementioned, in the method of making a patch antenna of the present invention, an insulation material that is injection molded is used and made to correspond to the structures of the radiation metal layer 21, 51 and the grounding metal layer 22, 52 to thereby simplify manufacture. Compared to the conventional process using a fluoropolymer substrate, the present invention significantly simplifies manufacture of the patch antenna 2, 5, reduces manufacturing costs, and is environmentally friendly. Hence, the objects of the present invention are realized.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Hsu, Chieh-Sheng, Huang, Chang-Hsiu, Chen, Shih-Hong, Chang, Chi-Chung
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